An Ordinary Day

I'm so naked around you.
And I can't hide
you're gonna see right through me baby.

Ron entered the Common Room cautiously. It seemed to be empty, until he heard a sniffing noise from an armchair by the fire.

"Hermione, you OK?"

He edged his way up beside the chair.

Harry walked slowly to the Great Hall, and for the first time in a long time, he sat by himself. He was joined a little later by Ginny, who he was grateful for. I could do with some company.

"Hi Ginny, how are you?" The tone in his voice was flat.

Draco lost time as he lay on his bed. For the first time since Moody had been here, he wanted to be home. But the thought of home drove him into even more depression. His bastard of a father...his possessive mother...He realised that he would rather stay here. At least here he had...well...he had...no one. The thought he had pushed away for so long hit him. He, Draco Malfoy, was alone, without a friend in the world. And this was hard to cope with. Very hard.

Hermione tried to ignore the approaching footsteps. Whoever it was, she didn't want to see them. Then she heard Ron's voice.

"Listen Ron, I'm fine. Just having a bad day. I'll see you in class."

She tucked her legs up on to the chair, hugging them to her chest, hoping like hell that he would leave her.

Ginny smiled at Harry. He seemed glum, but this wasn't unusual.

"I'm fine. You don't look all that fantastic yourself though, you know?"

She came and sat down next to him. As she looked into his downtrodden face, she could only think back. God, remember when I fancied him? What was I thinking? Inside, she laughed. But on the outside, she was being the supportive friend she always was. There to be an impartial judge with Harry, there to patch things up between the trio, there to try and solve all their problems. Nobody listened to her, ever. Nobody had ever paid her any attention, and she doubted whether they ever would. For her, this was just an ordinary day.

Ron could tell she didn't want to talk, but he knew they had to. He knew she had to.

"'Mione, I'm not going anywhere. Not until you tell me what's wrong. I mean, what happened?"

He was answered with silence. She's putting this wall up...so many times I've seen her do this, and now, more than ever, she needs to take it down. Ignoring her previous plea for him to leave, he moved so that he was face to face with her. Those brown eyes, red from tears, her hair slightly dishevelled, yet to him, she looked as perfect as ever.

"You mightn't want to talk, but you need to. We both need to."

His silence hung. It seemed to say everything. With just a few words, six years of feelings were spilled out.

He was grateful for Ginny's presence. She was always so strong, such a backbone to him, and so many others.

"Ah, nothing. Just a fight with Ron. And Hermione. Over something I have absolutely no idea about. You know, the usual."

He laughed slightly, along with Ginny, who nodded in agreement. The fact that he had told someone made it seem so small. Here was Harry, with no parents, not even godparents, and he was worried over a tiff with his friends? It'll be sorted out tonight, it always is. To Harry, his day was just normal. Like every other.

Draco lay there for what seemed like hours, but was barely 10 minutes. All these feelings that he had pushed down for so long came out, and he felt...empty. Wiping his eyes on his sheets, he slicked his hair back and decided to head off to Arithmancy. He was not going to let this stop him. He was a Malfoy. And Malfoy's don't show their weaknesses. As he strolled along the corridor, he repeated this thought over and over, like a chant, until it was ingrained. He was going to have a normal day.

Hermione had never wanted to see Ron less. He was annoying her. He was always demanding, he had to know what was going on. Couldn't he just wait? Couldn't he just leave her alone? And as he said those words...'We need to talk...' It was as if her world had crumbled. Why was her day going so horribly wrong?

"Ron, I just want to be left alone. I...I...I just need some space."

She couldn't take it anymore. His presence is suffocating me...the pressure...I can't breathe... With a frantic look, she dashed up the stairs to her dormitory. She needed to be alone...Why can't everything just be normal? The way it was?

Ginny knew Harry all too well.

"You know those to. Always bickering. They only take it out on you because they can."

He nodded in agreement.

"Listen Harry, I'm really snowed under with homework, I've got to go to the library. Don't worry, everything will be fine."

She gave him a reassuring smile, and patted him on the shoulder. As she strode off, however, she was not heading for the library. When I find Ron, he is so dead...what does he mean by this? Harry's been through enough; he doesn't need this baggage...oohh...

Ron watched her run upstairs in disbelief. I'm going to find Malfoy; I'm going to kill him... But what he did next took him self by surprise. He madly dashed at the stairs, running after her. I have to tell her...I have to...But he started slighting, the stairs had disappeared. Then, without a second thought, he yelled up the stairs, at the top of his voice.

"I love you! God Hermione, can't you see it? I'm head over heels in love with you!"

...

...

...

Silence. His worst fear was confirmed. She had no feelings for him. Broken-hearted, he stormed out of the Common Room, unsure of his direction. All he knew was that he needed to escape. Escape from it all.